Yemen's registered a trade surplus of $1.75 billion last year, according to a report published by the official news agency SABA Wednesday, September 5.
Exports in 2000 totaled $4.07 billion while imports amounted to $2.32 billion, said the report, released after a meeting here of the Federation of Arab Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Yemen's exports to Arab countries rose from $78.9 million in 1999 to $210 million in 2000.
Yemeni Vice-President Abdel Rabbo Mansur Hadi had on Monday deplored the fact that Arab investments in the Arab world were "130 times less than Arab investments abroad."
"Arab investments in the region did not exceed $2.3 billion in 2000, compared to $300 billion abroad," he told the opening session of the Arab federation meeting. Hadi also said that while "major economic groups monopolize resources and master technology, Arab countries have yet to cooperate seriously with each other."
During its two-day meeting in Sanaa, the Federation examined investment opportunities in the region as well as prospects of inter-Arab cooperation, an official said. — (AFP, Sanaa)
© Agence France Presse 2001
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
